Let’s start without swinging: you can get to Grodno from Minsk in at least three ways:
- By train
- By bus
- And by minibus.
I would consider the bus option only as a last resort (I’ll explain why a little further). But the train and minibus fit perfectly here. The main thing is to choose what is more important to you – the cost of tickets or travel time.
If you are going to Grodno as a tourist, you can also consider the option of an excursion. You will be picked up in the center of Minsk, taken-brought, fed with a free lunch and told many stories about the life and fate of the city. It will turn out to be a kind of trip in the style of “all inclusive”.
You can view the current prices and book a seat on the bus here.
In the meantime, I’ll go ahead and tell you about the more traditional options for the trip. Are you ready to start? Then let’s go!
Bus
I’ll start with him, although I’ve never seriously considered this option myself. The thing is that buses have at least 3 important disadvantages:
- They drive for a long time (about 4 hours);
- They are quite expensive (30 BYN);
- And the word “Bus” often hides the most ordinary minibus. Therefore, you can not count on spacious armchairs and a cozy salon.
Do you need all this? Think for yourself. You can view the schedule and buy tickets on the website ticketbus.by or at the ticket offices of the nearest bus station.
Minibus
But I take minibuses to Grodno quite often. Firstly, there are always a lot of them (therefore, you can choose the right flight at any time of the day or night). Secondly, there are often outlets and free WI-FI. And they get to Grodno faster than trains. Therefore, in general, minibuses are a good solution.
However, as you know, only Rollton with ketchup is ideal. Therefore, minibuses also have their disadvantages. Firstly, a minibus costs significantly more than a train (25-30 BYN). There is no toilet (there is only one sanitary stop), drivers sometimes turn on the chanson during the trip. Well, minibuses themselves (even the most modern ones) are still Satan’s weapon. Okay… I won’t exaggerate too much here. I’ll just point out that a minibus ride is a kind of lottery. In 70 percent of cases, everything goes fine, but sometimes cars get stuck in traffic on the way out of Minsk, the Internet does not work, and touching songs about Katya Ogonyok’s hard life rush out of the speakers. And that’s when you willy-nilly remember about the theory of relativity, feeling how time slows down.
Ticket price: 25-30 BYN.
Travel time: 3.5 hours.
Where can I see the schedule and buy tickets? On sitesatlasbus.by , marshrutka-grodno.by or minsk-grodno.by .
Train
Another good option for a trip (since even the oldest trains are still more comfortable than minibuses). And it is also the cheapest way to get from Minsk to Grodno.
Look for the train schedule on the website RW.BY . You can buy tickets online (then you will simply be allowed into the carriage using your passport). Or you can go to the train station and buy a ticket at the ticket office the old-fashioned way. Minsk Railway Station is located near the Lenin Square metro station. Tickets are sold in the main building, as well as in this inconspicuous building to the right of it.
Not everyone knows about it, so there are usually fewer queues there.
The trains themselves come in several types. These can be “seated” or reserved economy class wagons.
And there may be lines “business class”, presented by beautiful Stadlers. In my opinion, they are all quite good and quite comfortable. There are only two real differences between them: the price and the travel time.
Interregional business class lines will take you to Grodno in less than 4 hours and will ask for it 26-28 BYN. And economy class trains will reach their destination in 5-7 hours. But the fare will cost from 12 to 19 BYN.
How to find a place to live in Grodno?
There are relatively many good hotels in Grodno. But personally, I liked this couple the most.:
- Designer hotel “U Grusha”, located in a historic building in the center of the old city…
- And the Radziwilki country complex, created on the site of the former monastery of the Kamaldul monks.
If you have not yet decided where you will live during the trip, you can start your search with them. Well, if you need a cheaper overnight stay – then read my article at the link below. There I collected the options with the best price/quality ratio.
As an alternative to hotels, you can also consider several rental apartments. For example, this cozy studio with a view of the Orthodox Church. If you settle here, you can admire the spires of the old city from the balconies every morning.
Excursions to Grodno
At the very end of the article, I also want to recommend my friend’s guide to Grodno. Her name is Svetlana Ekimova, and I have personally known her for more than 5 years. If you need someone who can tell you about the past and present of the city in an interesting way, you can contact her.
You can read reviews about her excursions and see available dates here.
Well, if guided walks are not for you, then read my own article about the main attractions of Grodno. There I talked about little-known palaces, beautiful viewing platforms and haunted theaters.
Well, that’s all for today. Bye, everyone! And more colorful trips!
